Got NCAA Football 08 for XBOX 360 today.

Thanks for the feedback -- that helps, especially with the athletes. I hadn't really done much with them until this 5-star expressed so much interest in my program. He was automatically slotted as a WR, and though he's shorter than I'd like, he's my top rated receiver by far -- even as a true freshman. So because I'm not BCS rated, I may have better luck with high ranked athletes than pure position players. Competing with USC sucks.

California obviously has a wealth of recruits every season, and I've established it as a pipeline state. Anyone from Fresno I try desperately to keep. I'm also starting to sneak talent out of lesser-recruited states like Alaska and Wyoming, and some of the second-tier talent from SEC country (hey Mr. Arkansas -- how would you feel about spending a few years on the beach here in California?). Haven't had much luck with that, yet, but maybe as the program builds, it will get better.

Also, I'd be interested in strategy for selecting teams for fill games in my schedule. So far I've been trying to set up games with Pac-10 and Mountain West teams, and avoid the 1AA cellar dwellers. Does that sound good, or do I need a few blowouts? Maybe go after bigger fish, especially in the east for exposure?

 

Playing mostly solid teams seems to be the best way to get a strong schedule rating, but I'm not sure what would be best for exposure. I think you're probably doing the right thing. One trick you can use, though, is if there's someone you compete against pretty often for recruits (not USC, but someone less daunting). You can schedule an away game against them sometime between Week 7 and Week 12 if you have an open slot, and sometimes those recruits will be on their visit when you have a chance to beat them. I'm not sure it actually boosts their interest in you, but it certainly hurts their interest in that other school.

 

I've been getting a little interest from the coastal recruits, so I may pursue that with Cal. Good suggestion, thanks.

I'd like to somehow get into a better conference. I'd love the Pac-10, but I'd even take the Mountain West as an improvement over the WAC. Any idea how to make that happen, other than basically owning the WAC?

 

If you watch the other teams schedule, you can check when the players are visiting and just play them as whatever opponent they're up against. Sometimes you may actually have the luck of them going up against a talented team. For example we'll say he's Fresno St. Well both he and UCLA are after the same guy. Just happens that guy is visiting during USC vs UCLA. If he plays as USC and wins he hurts UCLA's chances. I've done that a couple times in close recruiting races. The way I look at it, if you can take a team you never/rarely use and win you've earned that boost.

 

Just raise your school's stars by winning. It seems to be a pretty random occurrence, though, because I've won the national championship with ECU and not been invited to join. You can try saving your game after a bowl victory and then simming to the end of the season. If you don't get a BCS invite, then re-load and try again. If it doesn't happen after a few tries then it probably won't.


Brain:
Yeah, that's a good suggestion if you have the time to play additional games and it's down to the wire with an important recruit.

 

Ooo, that's sneaky. Imma try it.